Canada: Inuit Games and Songs

From 1974 to 1976, researchers traveled to Arctic villages in Northeastern Canada to record the verbal games and songs of the Inuit people. One example, called katajjait, involves two women standing face to face, producing guttural, animal-like repetitions until someone runs out of breath and concedes in laughter. The lone instrumental track features a Jew’s harp and the tautirut (a violin-like instrument). As stated in the liner notes, this recording preserves the verbal game traditions of the Inuit and has stimulated a renewed interest in Inuit traditional culture.This recording was supported by grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Quebec Ministry of Education, and the University Montreal.

Track Listing

101	Three Katajjait from Baffin Land	n/a	02:09
102	Illukitaaruti (Juggling Song) from Baffin Land	n/a	01:30
103	Katajjaq from Hudson Bay (1)	n/a	01:08
104	Two Katajjaq: Baffin Land / Ungava Bay	n/a	01:20
105	About Animals: Aqausiq (Ungava Bay) / Song Accompanying a String Game (Baffin Land)	n/a	00:50
106	Katajjait on “Hamma” and Its Variants: Baffin Land / Hudson Bay / Baffin Land	n/a	01:37
107	Katajjait on "Ulu-haa-hamma": Ungava Bay / Baffin Land	n/a	01:37
108	Aqausiq from Baffin Land	n/a	00:55
109	Extracts from Thirteen Katajjait (Hudson Bay)	n/a	06:29
110	Two Pisiit from Ungava Bay	n/a	01:27
111	Imitation of the Cries of Geese (Baffin Land) / Katajjait with Geese Cries: Hudson Bay / Baffin Land / Hudson Bay / Baffin Land / Baffin Land	n/a	02:55
112	Katajjaq from Hudson Bay (2)	n/a	02:09
113	Assalalaa from Baffin Land	n/a	00:46
114	Melodic Katajjait: Baffin Land / Hudson Bay / Aqausiq and Katajjait of Annahatak (Ungava Bay) / Aqausiq and Katajjait of Surpaluk (Ungava Bay)	n/a	03:15
115	Brief Sung Narratives from Baffin Land	n/a	01:53
116	Five Katajjait on "Hapapa" from Baffin Land	n/a	01:41
117	Shaman Song (Ungava Bay)	n/a	02:27
118	Katajjait Sung by a Solo Voice: Hudson Bay / Hudson Bay / Baffin Land	n/a	01:51
119	Two Aqausiit from Ungava Bay	n/a	01:28
120	Three Katajjait from Ungava Bay	n/a	02:40
121	Instrumental Pieces from Ungava Bay: Qanirvaluutik (Jew's Harp) / "Now Go and Clean the Seal Skin” for Violin (Tautirut)	n/a	02:04
122	Two Melodic Katajjait from Hudson Bay	n/a	02:47